The Hindu : AICC decision lands Murali in a spot

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

AICC decision lands Murali in a spot

By Girish Menon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM April 17. The AICC decision to resort to a course of action against the Karunakaran faction in the aftermath of the Rajya Sabha election has landed the KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan in hot waters.

The decision to resort to a course of action was announced by the AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Ms. Ambika Soni, in New Delhi. The kind of action contemplated is not yet clear, but it is likely to include disciplinary measures as well as those intended to strengthen the party, according to Ms. Soni.

Mr. Muraleedharan had in his report on the Rajya Sabha election stated that the circumstances leading to the presence of the rebel Congress candidate, Kodoth Govindan Nair, in the electoral fray was the outcome of the factional politics that has been in existence in the party's State unit for quite some years.

He is reported to have stated that the Karunakaran faction had not taken any stand against the High Command's decision and the fielding of a rebel candidate was only intended to express the faction's protest against its neglect. As far as he was concerned, he had issued the party direction to the MLAs to vote for the official candidates.

The decision to seek the KPCC president's report was intended to put him in a spot as it naturally follows that he would have to give an adverse report for the Karunakaran faction. Mr. Muraleedharan appears to have made a hard attempt to steer clear from this pitfall, if one were to go by the excerpts of his report.

Mr. Karunakaran also seems to have understood the danger of such a move and made it clear when he met mediapersons in Kollam that he would not remain a silent spectator to the attempt to push him towards a confrontation with his son.

Ms. Soni and the AICC observers, Ghulam Nabi Azad and R.K. Dhawan, held a closed door meeting in Delhi this evening at the end of which the announcement regarding the action was made.

Even though Ms. Soni did not comment on whether she was satisfied with Mr. Muraleedharan's report, there were broad hints that the report was not satisfactory.

The Third and Fourth groups are in the forefront clamouring for the removal of the KPCC president. The Third Group met here this evening to chart out its strategy to make a breakthrough in ousting Mr. Muraleedharan. One thing is certain, the high command action would depend on the views of the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, who has dropped ample hints that he was not willing to precipitate the factional feuds in the Congress.

The AICC move is sure to put Mr. Muraleedharan in a spot. The general feeling here is that the High Command action might not be swift, but would be carried out in a methodical manner, going through the paces of disciplinary action usually followed by the party. This would also convey the impression that the Karunakaran faction was not being hounded out for having fielded a rebel against the party's official candidates.

Some of Mr. Antony's supporters feel that the high command would issue a show cause notice to begin with.

Whatever action the high command might take, the burden of implementing it would be put squarely on Mr. Muraleedharan.

The KPCC president would have to perform the ungainly task of issuing disciplinary action against the Karunakaran faction, within weeks of restoring his relations with it at the height of the war of nerves for the Rajya Sabha seat.

Mr. Antony is understandably cautious in his responses when it comes to pushing Mr. Karunakaran too hard.

Even though Mr. Karunakaran failed to muster the requisite number to get his candidate through, he is conscious about problems that would be thrown up if he were to be forced to agree to taking action against a large contingent of MLAs at one go.

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AICC decision lands Murali in a spot